This invention relates generally to an elevator system, and specifically to apparatus for protecting maintenance personnel working on the roof top of an elevator car.
As is well known in the art, much of the maintenance work conducted upon elevators is accomplished by maintenance workers positioned on the roof top of the elevator car. An inspection box containing controls for operating the elevator is mounted on the roof of the car to allow the workers to operate the car at slow speed while on the roof. Because there exists a constant danger that a person working on the roof might fall off the car into the hoist way, maintenance workers are sometimes required to wear safety harnesses while working on the roof of the car in instances where effective car-top guard rails are not available. Each harness is equipped with a lanyard that allows the worker to move freely about the roof top area. These lanyards are relatively long and are typically tethered to the cross head of the lifting frame that extends across the roof of the car at a slightly higher elevation than the roof top. In any event, a good deal of slack is afforded the lanyard which can get in the way of the worker, and will permit the worker to fall some distance before the lanyard catches the worker""s fall. Accordingly, there is a need to reduce the slack of the lanyard without restricting the worker""s ability to move about. the car roof top area.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to improve the safety of elevators.
It is a further object of the present invention to better protect maintenance workers while working on the roof top of an elevator car.
These and other objects of the present invention are attained by an apparatus for protecting a worker while performing maintenance work on the roof top of an elevator that is mounted within a hoistway. A beam or column is mounted to the elevator car and preferably is position able to extend vertically a given distance above the car. A body harness worn by the worker can be secured to an elevated section of the beam or column by means of a lanyard which provides sufficient slack to permit the worker to move freely about the roof top, yet is short enough to limit the distance the worker will travel in the event the worker falls off the roof top into the hoist way.